At several points in my life I have had to put myself out there if I wanted to make new friends. I had to make a choice to not live a less than life. The earliest I can remember would be when I left my hometown and went to college. I only moved an hour away BUT and hour felt like an eternity while sitting alone in my dorm room. I had left behind my family and my friends from high school. I knew no one at my new school. But God knew me and where I needed to be.

Thank God for a group on campus called Chi Alpha. On my move in day they were helping people move in to the dorms. One of them was very observant and noticed that I had a shirt on from my church and struck up a conversation with me. Her name was Meeke. And to be honest… I don’t remember the conversation. What I DO remember is that a few days later on campus I hear my name being called from a ways behind me… so I turn and there she is! She remembered my name… that really surprised me. We walked back to the dorm together and she invited me to Chi Alpha’s weekly Thursday night meeting. I was sort of hesitant but she said she would save me a seat. She had done her part. She had done all she could… aside from dragging me there! It was now up to me.

Stepping out and trying new things… new people… is never easy. At least the first step isn’t. In my life I have found that if I trust God and am obedient and just take that first step… God has already lined up amazing things for me! I just had to knock down that first domino! And man that can be hard! 🙂

So, I went to the Chi Alpha meeting… TNL (Thursday Night Live) is what it was called then. That night changed my life. She saved me a seat… she really saved me a seat! And I don’t know if I ever told her this but… that night was a turning point for me. I already knew God and believed in Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross. I knew then that I would go to Heaven if I died. So I didn’t get “saved” that night. But… I got saved from a less than life.

My eyes were opened wider than ever before to see God for who He really is and the big and wonderful plans He had for my life. I started to experience His amazing Love and the deep fellowship that came with being true brothers and sisters in Christ in a way I never had before.  It was in Chi Alpha (XA) that I formed amazing friendships and a life long bond thru experiences with some that will last forever. It was in XA that I got filled with the Holy Spirit. It was in XA that I was taught how and began leading a Ladies Bible Study. It was in XA that I led worship for my mission trip team for the first time. It was in XA that I led a mission trip for the first time! It was in XA that I learned how important it is to really step out. After experiencing all God showed me then I never wanted to live a less than life again. And God didn’t want me to.

God used Chi Alpha and all the amazing things that happened in my life during my time there… to teach me that I am not meant to go through life alone. That friends are important.  And that faithful friends are worth the search. Over and over again… they are worth the search.

I will search for faithful people
    to be my companions. Psalm 101:6

Faithful friends who will pray for you as if your need was their own, who will Love you thru your brokenness, and who will hold your hands up when you are too weak.

Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. Exodus 17:12

If every time life has thrown me a curve ball… I had just retreated to the dug out… I would have missed out on sooo much.

If when I had to suddenly uproot my life and move back home… I had just hidden myself away to avoid hurt or being let down again… I would have missed meeting my husband.

If when I was dealing with traumatic things involving my family… I had let myself put walls up to keep from sharing too much with new friends…in order to avoid getting hurt again… I would have missed the opportunity to trust again. 

I now realize not every pitch is a curve ball. And I am probably missing out on a home run if I just sit “safely” in the dug out! I am also not enjoying the game if I am stuck on the bench. Forgive the cheesy analogy BUT… it’s true!

You could be the home run hitter on your team but if you stay in the dug out… it doesn’t matter. 

In the body of Christ… we need each other. We are meant to operate together to fulfill God’s purposes. We are not meant to live a less than life. 

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,12for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Eph.4:11-16

Don’t live a less than life! Do whatever you have to do to be a part of the body. Search until you find faithful people to be your companions! Do not sit in the dug out and miss the point! Don’t miss all that God has for you! Don’t live a less than life! Find a Bible study to join… one full of the Word and overflowing with God’s Love and evidence of the Holy Spirit.

What are you waiting for? I waited because I was scared. I should have searched for “Faithful People” so much sooner than I did. I was living a less than life. The devil had me worried about getting hurt again… but my sitting in the dug out not only hurt me but also the body of Christ. 

We were not meant to live a less than life. Jesus died for us so that we could have life and life abundantly!

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10